Castellan

Castellan is the third rank in the Imperial aristocracy, and is the final rank that denotes full-time service to a greater Liege. The word stems from the ancient Latin Castellanus, derived from castellum for "castle."

Typically, a Castellan combines the duties of both a regional administrator and a military commander, and in contrast to the purely governmental duties of a Squire, is also responsible for commanding some or all of their Liege's military forces in battle. Furthermore, should the Liege of their own master, or the Emperor and his Council, call up forces for war from local nobles, the Castellan is often sent as the foremost representative of any noble that does not attend themselves.

Expectations
Seeing as the Castellan is required to be both an effective governor and an excellent tactician, Castellans often receive training at prestigious Imperial Academies, where their tuition is paid for by their Liege. By the time a Castellan has served a full term of service, they will be well-rounded and capable of handling most any military or civil matter with much greater ease and tact than any civilian could.

As such, it is no surprise that the Empire has recently come to require that all those who wish to attain the rank of Knight serve a full term as a Castellan to prove their worthiness. Effectively, the Castellan rank is the doorway to becoming a true Imperial aristocrat.